Marcher Apple Network

Marcher Apple Network

RHWYDWAITH AFALAU’R GORORAU

Reviving the Old Apple and Pear Varieties in the Welsh Marches

 

Trustees

Our Articles allow for up to eleven Trustees. The current Trustees are as follows:

Our secretary is Gareth Kennard-Holden

 

Who we are:

Stephen Ainsleigh Rice (Chair):

My great uncle established a nursery in Billericay in the late nineteenth century. When he visited my parents in the late 1950s I marvelled at names like Sturmer Pippin, George Cave, Cox’s Orange Pippin. He told me a little about pruning, orchard hygiene and fruiting. Then a professional career took me to Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Sad to admit, I forgot most. Nearly 50 years later, after having moved to near Hay-on-Wye, I met Sheila Leitch, Mike and Chris Porter, Peter Austerfield and other the founders of the Marcher Apple Network. I was stunned by their knowledge and enthusiasm. Since then it’s been a delight to meet many more enthusiasts and nursery(wo)men, learn and practice orchard management skills, attempt identifications, do a little DNA fingerprinting stuff, have opportunities to be at shows, pass on my learnings and generally try to help folk with their questions.

 

Philip Bustin (Treasurer):

A few years ago I acquired an ancient orchard located in South Shropshire, which has been in existence from before 1817 and consists mainly of apples with some pears, cherries, plums and damsons.
As a DEFRA Higher Environmental Steward I was keen to ensure the orchard received the correct attention to preserve its life. By joining MAN I have gained access to a wealth of expertise and knowledge which has proved valuable to my preservation work as well as making friends who have similar interests in orchards, apples and pears.
As Treasurer my role is to ensure that MAN runs on a sound financial basis, complies with UK financial regulations and, like my orchard, is sustainable for many years to come.

 

David Hugh Thursfield-Smith (Membership Secretary)

 

Steven Richards-Price:

I set up the first Apple Day at Oakwell Hall Country Park, West Yorkshire in the late 1990s and worked with the gardener there (I was Head Ranger) to create espaliered heritage apple trees in the walled garden and replant the orchard. I was a member of the Northern Fruit Group but joined MAN in 2000 on moving to our smallholding near Tregaron. We entered the smallholding into Tir Gofal (like Countryside Stewardship) and have made countless environmental improvements over the years. This included, as one of the first tasks, planting a new orchard with many Welsh heritage varieties. I have since been making juice and perfecting cider for many years. Being quite a distance from the Marcher heartlands, I recently decided to change from being a passive member to a Trustee as I want to see and shape MAN’s crucial work into the future – including preserving and promoting the remaining traditional orchards in the Marches. My professional area is heritage interpretation and I am responsible for the MAN website.

 

James Nason:

I have been a life member of MAN for the last twenty years and was delighted to become a Trustee in 2024. My concern about the loss of traditional orchards across the Marches region was a spur to join MAN combined with an interest in nature and conservation. Me and my wife Rowena own the Pitchford Estate just south of Shropshire and have planted five orchards since 2005 across the Estate to preserve Marches apple and pear varieties in close collaboration with Tom the Appleman (Tom Adams). Beyond Shropshire, I work as a political consultant for a range of companies and organisations in the energy, environment and tourism sectors. Outside work, I am restoring the Grade 1 listed historic house – Pitchford Hall. In the Hall’s grounds is Britain’s largest broad leaved lime tree – The Pitchford Lime – as well as ancient oak and yew trees.

 

Andrew John Pillow

 

Gareth Kennard – Holden (Secretary):

My wife and I bought a house in south Wales 7 years ago having lived in Wales for a decade before that, I wanted to plant some apple trees and being environmentally conscientious I knew I wanted Welsh and preferably local varieties. Searching for Welsh varieties led me to MAN and the more I learnt the more I was interested to learn, and I took on the role of secretary at the AGM in Nov 2024 having been a member since Jan 2024. I try and eat an apple a day to keep the doctor away, knowing that it is not just an old saying but now proven by science that apples are excellent for you and the more you eat the better.